RIGHT TO BARE ARMS

02.26.13

Iran Covers Up Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama at the Oscars on Sunday. (Kevin Winter/Getty)

Maybe Iran was just channeling its anger that Argo won Best Picture. Iranian state news Photoshopped sleeves onto Michelle Obama in images of the first lady at Sunday night’s Oscars. Farsi, Iran’s semi-official news agency that is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, wanted the first lady’s dress to conform to the country’s restrictions on showing female skin in the media. Iranian women shown on state television must be wearing a hijab, although foreign women who are not traveling to the country are allowed to be shown without the hijab but must comply with other restrictions. Given the amount of skin shown on television throughout the world, this is not the first time Iranian media have used Photoshop to make images comply with the rules.